130 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1956 



The African porcupines {Hystrix galeata) continue to increase. 



The crested screamers (Chauna torquata) again laid eggs and 

 hatched three young, but they did not survive. 



Through the painstaking care of Mario De Prato, principal keeper 

 of the reptile house, reproduction among reptiles has been very 

 gratifying. The most outstanding of these follow : 



Eggs were laid by the flap-neck chameleon {Chamaeleon dilepis) 

 on April 2, 1955, and 6 hatched on June 23. In spite of the utmost 

 efforts the young refused to eat and so survived only a few days. 



A three-horned chamelon {Chamaeleon jacksoni) gave birth to 16 

 young on January 9, 1956. 



The five-lined skinks hatched six eggs August 11, 1955. 



Fourteen young green water snakes (Natrix cyclopion) were born 

 June 3, 1955. One egg of an indigo snake {Drymarchon corals 

 couperi) was hatched, and 10 red-be] lied water snakes {Natrix ery- 

 throgaster) were born. 



An African house snake, or musaga {Boaedon lineatum), laid 21 

 eggs, and 7 of these hatched on December 11. These may be the first 

 of their kind to have been hatched in captivity. 



An Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) laid 19 eggs on November 4, 1955. 

 On January 31, 1956, 3 of them hatched. Only one of the young 

 could be induced to eat freely. It thrived on baby mice. This was 

 the second time cobra eggs were hatched in the Zoo. 



Eight rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria) were born on March 12, 

 1956. 



Following is a complete list of the births and hatchings : 



MAMMALS 



Num- 

 Scientific name Common name her 



Ammotragus lervia Aoudad, or Barbary sheep 8 



Anoa depressicornis Anoa 1 



Atilax paludinosus Water civet 1 



Axis axis Axis deer 2 



Bibos gaurus Gaur 1 



Bos taurus {British Park cattle 4 



[ West Highland cattle 1 



Callosciurus sp Southern Asiatic squirrel 2 



Capra hircus Domestic goat 2 



Cercopithecus cephus Mustached monkey 1 



Cercopithecus negledus DeBrazza's guenon 1 



Cervus canadensis American elk 2 



Cervus elaphus Red deer 1 



Cervus nippon Sika deer 1 



Choeropis liberiensis Pygmy hippo 1 



Choloepus didactylus Two-toed sloth 1 



Dama dama | Brown fallow deer 3 



[White fallow deer __ 2 



